


Broken

by DPPatricks



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Background for Hutch, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:09:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23859556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DPPatricks/pseuds/DPPatricks
Summary: It seems Hutch's car won't start.
Relationships: Ken Hutchinson/David Starsky
Comments: 16
Kudos: 32





	Broken

**Author's Note:**

> This brief piece was inspired by 4/25/20's Friday Fiction Prompt on the Starsky&Hutch Fans&FanFiction FaceBook page. The title was the prompt word. Good one, Paula!

“Hutch, I think you’ll have to admit it this time, it’s broken.”

“No, it isn’t, Starsk, it’s just temporarily… disabled.”

“Did you take it to Merle’s, like I suggested?”

“Oh, no, never again, buddy. That skinny, self-important... car painter --”

“Is a mechanical genius.”

“Maybe. But I’m sure this is nothing I can’t fix myself. Let’s get the hood up.”

Starsky climbed out of the LTD, moved to the front, released the latch, and raised the hood. When his partner joined him, they stared into the engine compartment. Starsky folded his arms and stood back while Hutch began jiggling connections. “Will you answer a question I’ve always wanted to ask?”

Hutch was checking that none of the plug wires was loose. “Sure.”

“Why do you drive this thing?”

Hutch straightened but didn’t look at him. “I’ve asked myself that a thousand times and I’ve come to the conclusion that, in the beginning, it was rebellion. Now, it's tradition.”

Starsky, his arms still crossed, moved to the side, turned, and leaned against the grill, the better to see Hutch’s face. “Rebellion,” he repeated.

Hutch pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and tried to remove the black grease marks his fingers had picked up. He didn’t meet Starsky’s gaze. “My father drove a Cadillac Coup de Ville - traded for a new one every year. Mother’s car was the biggest, most luxurious Buick General Motors made. Hers was replaced every other year.”

When Hutch didn’t continue right away, Starsky prodded, gently. “Go on.”

Hutch folded the handkerchief, dirty side in, and put it back in his pocket. Sighing, he walked to the curb and sat down. “They gave me a Corvette when I graduated from the U of M.” He looked up, guilt, remorse and possibly embarrassment in his expression. “I traded it to a friend of mine for his old Volkswagen. My folks had a fit, understandably.”

Starsky walked over and sat next to him. “Is that all of it?”

Hutch’s shoulders slumped and he hung his head. “No. When Van and I got married her parents gave her a Mercedes. That was their wedding present to us. I traded the VW for my first beat-up Ford and I’ve refused to buy anything else ever since.”

Starsky slung an arm around his partner’s shoulders. “Ya know somethin’, Hutch? That makes perfect sense and I’m glad you told me.” He grinned. "I might just start to like this car." He stood up, reached a hand down and pulled Hutch to his feet. “Have you got a long screwdriver in your trunk? Or somewhere in that mess in the back seat?”

“Uh…” Hutch was momentarily speechless. “Uh,... Yeah, I think so.”

“Get it.” Starsky walked to the left side of the engine compartment while Hutch did the retrieval. When he returned with the tool, Starsky motioned him to the driver’s side. “When I give you the word, start it up.”

Clearly not understanding what was happening, Hutch got in the car and waited. 

Starsky placed the business end of the screwdriver against an object on the inside of the fender wall, then laid the shaft of the tool against the positive terminal on the battery. “Hit it.”

Hutch turned the key and the engine roared to life. 

Hiding a satisfied smile, Starsky closed the hood. Hutch, a look of utter surprise on his face, got out of the car and stared at him. Starsky calmly walked around and handed him the screwdriver. “You have a bad solenoid switch. Merle can put in a new one and we won’t even be very late for work.”

“Starsky…”

Starsky walked around the front of the car and got in on the passenger’s side. Hutch threw the tool into the back seat and got in. “How did you know?”

“Cars are my passion, Hutch, you’ve always known that.”

“But… why now? Why not just keep cussing and making threats whenever we have to ride in my car?”

“Because you told me the reasons, partner. And Van’s Mercedes was the clincher. This ol’ wreck ain’t broken, it just needs a little TLC every once in a while.” 

END


End file.
